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The Amalgamation
= The Amalgamation = -- Taken from the December 2017 Rulebook, pages 21 & 22 -- —UNTIL WE ARE ONE— Spreading across most of the eastern Expanse, the Amalgamation has conquered more territories than any other nation. Religious zeal and fanaticism have long been staples of this society; in recent years, however, these qualities have also led to internal strife and a steep decline in this nation’s power. The Amalgamation began as an ideal shared by soldiers returning from the great Crusades. They believed that they could create a model society that would band all of humanity together for one great cause: Unity. Over the years, this original ideal has largely been lost. Currently, the Amalgamation has made enemies on every border, and the clergy and nobility bitterly feud over the mantle of leadership. In Amalgamation society, no one is above the church, but it is the nobles’ place to rule the lands and run the nation. This hasn’t stopped the theocracy from burning noblemen as heretics, nor has it stopped lords from throwing priests in their dungeons. The Kings of the Amalgamation must be ordained by the Church, but this doesn’t mean that they need to like each other. Caught in between dissenting nobles, fanatical priests, failing grandeur, and a swarm of enemy nations… are the unfortunate common people of the Amalgamation. These citizens, by and large, have been victimized their entire lives. They hold few privileges and are heavily taxed. The Amalgamation is so large that it is actually made up of four regions, each ruled by a different king. The Kingdom of Vercrux (or Vein-Vercrux) rules the northern region of the Amalgamation. This area had once been ruled by two separate Kings, but the leaders of the Vein and of Vercrux unified their bloodlines to form the largest and most powerful Kingdom within the Amalgamation. While the Kingdom of Vercrux is filled with gallant warriors akin to those of Hastings, the Vein has some true eccentricities. The Vein (named after the Old Ways pantheon’s god of strategy) has produced a proud and stalwart people who value strength, honor, duty, truth, and directness. They abhor magic, such that even before the Amalgamation conquered them they had already outlawed all magic. The Kingdom of Hastings rules the southwestern region of the Amalgamation. This Kingdom is a nation of warriors who have been greatly influenced by their neighbors in the Celestine Empire. This influence has caused them to treat their subjects better than in any other place within the Amalgamation. In recent times, a bloody dispute between clergy and nobility caused the Kingdom of Hastings to declare open rebellion. Were it not for the support of this Kingdom’s peasantry, this rebellion surely would have failed. The Kingdom of De’Fey rules the eastern region of the Amalgamation. For centuries, they were the stalwart defenders of the Amalgamation from the Coatl Horde to the east. Known for their cunning tacticians who would use every weapon in their arsenal, the Kingdom of De’Fey has also made its share of enemies. Recently, the long war with the Coatl took a dramatic turn: Castle De’Fey at last fell, and the fearsome Coatl rode unchecked through De’Fey lands. It is unknown if any of the royal family have survived. With the support of the rest of the Amalgamation, though, the Kingdom of De’Fey has been able to push the Coatl back and begin establishing itself again. The Kingdom of Voi rules the southeastern region of the Amalgamation. Known for its piety and its devotion to the political entity of the church, the Kingdom of Voi is home of some of the mightiest religious strongholds in all of Adelrune. Voi artists are also considered some of the finest in the world. In recent years, though, the fall of Castle De’Fey has had tragic consequences for the Kingdom of Voi: it is now partially overrun by the Coatl Horde. Though some fortresses remain, it is unknown if any of the royal family have survived, and the re-establishment of order has been a vast undertaking. POLITICAL OVERVIEW: THE AMALGAMATION Government Type: Four Monarchies (of the Agnatic Primogeniture type), historically overseen by a religious leader; the nation is currently in disarray because its religion has collapsed Allies: None Enemies: The Coatl, the Drir, the Vicaul, the Trahazi, the Nadine Empire, and all non-human cultures Welcomed Bloodlines: Human Persecuted Bloodlines: Non-Human Crimes: Murder, Theft, Assault, Fraud, Forgery, Treason, Bribery, Practicing Dark Magic, Harassment, Enslavement, Depravity, Vandalism, Heresy, Profane Imagery National Religion: Historically, the Church of Chorus (this religion has recently collapsed) EXAMPLE CHARACTER NAMES: The four kingdoms of the Amalgamation tend to have slightly different kinds of names: VERCRUX MALE: Abelard, Lamar VERCRUX FEMALE: Eloise, Genevieve HASTINGS MALE: Alaric, Telemir HASTINGS FEMALE: Halfrid, Leoda DE'FEY MALE: Evariste, Markell DE'FEY FEMALE: Agathe, Hylda VOI MALE: Gustave, Leon VOI FEMALE: Katherina, Millicent Names and surnames often draw inspiration from the (out-of-game) Germanic and Frankish historical cultures. Some example surnames are: Damrosch, Hildebrand, and Telarcrux. Well-Known Citizens of the Amalgamation * Dans Swordmaker * Lady Diamante Telesca * Lord General Ootimus Rex